Lifestyles

Holiday Beauty Tips

Holidays are the time of year to glam-up, says Clairol Colormaster Veron Charles. She offers the following recommendations to help you glide through the season stress-free:

* Find out the dress code of the party you're attending and dress accordingly. Glittery eye makeup is sizzling on the dance floor, but might be a no-no at the annual office party.

* Let your hair be your glamour statement with a trendy new take on layering that's red hot for the holidays. Lighten several strands of hair that frame your face, then color with a no-ammonia, no peroxide haircolor like Jazzing in a fiery shade like Ruby Red.

* If you're wearing the basic little black dress, hotwire it by wrapping yourself in one of the inexpensive satin trench coats that are all the rage this season. You'll make an eye-catching entrance. Then settle in to a more sophisticated mood.

* If you're not sure how much is too much, limit your bling to accessories like a beaded bag, chandelier earrings or chunky, jewel-tone bracelets.

* Don't wear stiletto heels if you're going to be standing during all or most of the party - no matter how sexy they look! A pair of dressy patent flats or low heels will ensure you're still smiling and not wincing at the end of the night.

* Be careful with makeup. While you can definitely pump up the color on lips, cheeks and eyes at night, be sure to blend carefully. If you have a makeup mirror, try out your finished look in different lights.

"Holidays should be fun times," concludes Veron. "Whether it's a trim the tree party or a family get together, let your clothes, your hair and your makeup turn heads away from the flickering firelight toward the fiery blazes of you instead!"

Saluting Our Vets

Dr. Joseph A. Bailey, II served as a Captain in the United States Airforce from 1962 to 1964. During his military stay, Bailey served as an orthopaedic surgeon for the military.

(From Bailey's book: Manhood in Black Americans p.370), Bailey states: By means of the Berry Plan, physician interns were allowed to choose the time they went into the military. My choice was at the completion of my internship because this provided the time needed time to get my teeth (e.g. cavities) fixed and do other "stuff" as a captain. While at the military base in San Antonio, Texas, a Meharry classmate and I went to a café to eat. Despite being in uniform, they would not serve us "colored people". This took something out of me, as shown in no longer continuing to study for "wings" as a flight surgeon. It also started driving home the reality of the permanence of racial hatred and the necessity of preparing for it.

In the Philippines, I was in charge of the outpatient department, including nine Filipino physicians and tropical medicine. In medical school, I had elected to not pay much attention to tropical medicine since I thought it was a waste of time. This taught me that every field of medicine is important if I was to be a good general practitioner.

The Filipino physicians under my command were excellent. They had been trained to perfect their observation, touch, smell, hearing, and perhaps taste skills as applied to diagnosis and treatment. Therefore I spent time learning whatever they would teach me. It was so enjoyable to treat patients that instead of seeing only the required 20 a day, I saw 80. Seeing so many patients exposed me to all aspects of medicine and that was helpful in exposing me to medical options for subsequent specialization.

Orthopaedics fascinated me because it was the only subspecialty of general practice I could not figure out. Its variety seemed infinite. To learn more about it, I spent my off-duty hours helping the orthopaedists treat the wounded soldiers coming in directly from Vietnam to Clark Field. The pleasure of learning while doing became a mindset which has persisted at an extremely high level to the present. Orthopaedics suited my taste for carpentry and doing research on unique problems. Besides, it was so disorganized that it provided me innumerable opportunities to "create" in all its realms.

It was in the Philippines that I again came in contact with the Filipino "We" people and being among them off base allowed me to relax and really get to know them. On base, however, I was alone because there were only two or three Black officers--whom I rarely saw. Yet, I made several friends with Whites -- friendships lasting up to the present. Still, the tension inherent in racism was palpable immediately upon returning to the USA as with the stares of walking down the street with a White girl next to me and her boyfriend on the other side.

While in the Air Force I learned the significance of having a "Presence" (giving off the sense of sitting right next to another even though you are standing at a distance) and a "Command Appearance" (the way you carry yourself causes others to respect you and not "mess" with you). To maintain respect requires also talking the language of the listener(s).

There were many attractive features of the military, as in having subordinates do what you command them to do. However, I did not like the focus on war and killing people (especially in order to satisfy the greed of Euro-American leaders). Thus, I left after two years and one day. I would not trade the experience but would not want to do it again.

AIDS Walk/Los Angeles Raises 3.9 Million

According to the 2007 Terrence Higgins Trust Report by the close of 2005, there were an estimated 40.3 million people living with HIV/AIDS world wide. According to the 2006 Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation report, at the end of 2004, an estimated 1, 039,000 to 1,185,000 persons in the United States were living with HIV/AIDS, with 24% to 27% undiagnosed and unaware of their HIV infection. The report further states that approximately 17,011 people died due to AIDS in 2005 alone and there have been over 55,00 AIDS related deaths since 1981. According to the 2006 California Department of Health Services, California ranks second in the country exceeded only by New York in the total number of AIDS cases since 1980.

The above reports were written one and two years ago. Now with the year 2007 about to close, the numbers are steadily climbing, and the staggering amount of people affected with HIV/AIDS is incomprehensible. This year more than any other year in the history of AIDS WALK/LOS ANGELES, people came from all over Southern California to show their support in raising money to fight against AIDS. The event was truly the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King's dream when Jews and Gentiles, white, black, yellow and even green joined hands together to fight a good fight towards the betterment of civil rights. In this case the modern day dream applied to putting out a terrible killer to all of humanity known as AIDS.

It was a beautiful thing to see especially regarding all the young people involved. That is why on Sunday, October 21, 2007 the Los Angles AID Walk raised 3.9 million dollars. Never before in the 23-year-history of this Walk has such a staggering amount of money been raised.

Jenifer Lewis with many of the celebrities at AIDS Walk

Participants, who take part in the challenge of raising funds for the AIDS Walk, ask friends, family members, co-workers and neighbors to sponsor them for the 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) they walk. The Walk begins and ends at San Vicente Boulevard, between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, in West Hollywood.

San Gabriel High School National Honor Society a part of the many high school students who volunteered for AIDS WALK

This year there were 3,500 volunteers that contributed more than 50,000 hours to AIDS WALK/ Los Angeles. The leading fundraisers for last year's event were Hilton Family of Hotels (93,772), and Mac Cosmetics (87,737). DreamWorks (81,420) Toyota Motor Sales (72,550) and Crossroads Teen AIDS Ambassadors (55, 471) just to name a few. There are 22 organizations that directly benefit from the AIDS WALK/Los Angeles which includes the Minority AIDS Project, which is the first community-based HIV/AIDS organization established and managed by people of color in the United States offering HIV/AIDS related health services and education to the African American and Latino communities.

Devo & Friends Come Together to Impact Starving Nation

Christian Recording Artist, Devo, of Called and Chosen, along with American Idol contestant, Crystal Starr, The Prince of Clean Comedy, Cizzle C, and acclaimed musician Mark Allen Felton will perform a free concert, Saturday, October 27, 2007 starting at 7 pm at the Grove Community Church in Riverside, California to raise money for the sick and homeless in Haiti.

Joining them from Haiti will be Praise and Worship phenomenon, Claudel Senat.

Proceeds will also benefit the Missions outreach ministry at the Grove Community Church.

"We have waited a long time for a chance to bring such talent together in one place," states Anthony Tyson, of Remax Real Estate and frequent traveler to Haiti.

"Concert for the Nations will be a night to remember." Tyson, along with several others has been raising funds and awareness for less fortunate that live only one and a half hours by air from the United States. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Kermit Alexander, former NFL All Pro and member of the Grove Community Church in Riverside, has traveled with Tyson and others to visit Mission of Hope www.MissionofHopeHaiti.org . The first trip to Haiti changed his life forever.

Determined to make a difference, Alexander, along with his wife Tami, started a non-profit to help bring in the use of wind turbines and solar to offset the high cost of diesel fuel. www.Operationwindmill.org. In the process, they are adopting five children from Haiti while continuing to raise funds for the turbine project.

Praise and Worship singer, Claudel Senat, is on his third tour of the United States. He is still unable to travel with his family due to tight travel restriction imposed on the majority of Haiti nationals. "But one day, God willing, they will be able to experience the unbelievable Christian hospitality that I have felt in while visiting America," said Senat.

Called to the stage are Christian recording Artist, Devo, who has been featured on TBN, BET, JCTV and the Word Network has worked tirelessly since his return from Haiti to bring awareness to the dire situation the Haitian people face and the lack of resources they have. "By bringing together all my entertainment friends," states Devo, "we can use our talents to change a nation for Christ."

For information and directions check on line at www.calledandchosen.com or call The Grove Community Church at 951-571-9090. A love offering will be taken.

Stanley Macon Celebrates 97th Birthday

The children of longtime San Bernardino resident Stanley Macon, organized and hosted a party to celebrate his 97th birthday. In the old fashioned tradition of celebrating it on the front lawn of their home on 20th Street, they invited family and friends from far and near and many came. With Vivian Macon, his wife by his side, they greeted those who came to wish him well.

The family sat on the lawn as people came and left in great fellowship on Mr. Macons birthday.